The American Legion Twins lost the league contest and won the nonleague contest Saturday at Wasilla.
The Twins are 1-2 in the league and 2-4 overall, while Wasilla is 5-0 in the league and 7-1 overall.
The Twins lost the league contest 2-1 before winning the nonleague game 8-3. Post 20 stays in the Valley to face Palmer in a league game at noon today.
Wasilla won the high school state championship this season, plus added some good college players to that squad, so Twins coach Robb Quelland said Saturday was a success.
“For our third conference game of the year, I’m very happy,” Quelland said. “I never like to lose, but I’m not disappointed by this.”
In the league loss, the Twins took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but then the offense stalled. Jacob Gilbert pitched all seven for the Road Warriors, giving up just three hits and an earned run while walking two and striking out 10. Gilbert was the Southcentral Conference MVP this season.
“Going against the region player of the year, I think we held our own and that’s remarkable,” Quelland said. “He mixes it up really well.”
Two of those hits came right away — Jeremy Kupferschmid, who finished 2 for 3, singled to lead off the game and then David Michael singled to give the Twins the lead.
Wasilla came back to tie the game in the second, getting to starter Logan Smith for an unearned run. Smith would give up just that run in five innings, yielding two hits and two walks while fanning six.
Smith has been recovering from a knee injury.
“He’s getting some of the rust knocked off, how about that?” Quelland said when asked how healthy Smith is feeling.
Harold Ochea gave up one unearned run on a hit and a walk in one inning as the Warriors earned the win. Clayton Boyett led the Wasilla offense by going 2 for 3.
“It comes down to we’re a work in progress,” Quelland said of the costly errors.
In the nonleague game, the Twins offense woke up. The local nine led 4-1 after two innings and 7-2 after five innings.
Smith was 2 for 4, while Tanner Ussing, Davey Belger and Harrison Metz added hits. Mose Hayes and Metz each scored two runs.
Ussing pitched four innings, giving up three hits and an earned run while walking none and striking out one. Kupferschmid gave up a hit and a run, while walking four and fanning two, in 1 2-3 innings, while Metz closed the game with 1 1-3 innings, getting charged with three hits and a run.
Carson Boyett took the loss for the Warriors, going two innings and giving up four runs — two earned — while not giving up a hit but walking four and striking out three.
On offense, Taylon Ottinger, Gilbert and Calvin Stoll each had two hits for the Warriors.
“It’s remarkable how fast these young players come together and step up into new roles,” Quelland said of the Twins, made up of players from Soldotna, Kenai Central and Homer high schools. “It’s always hard combining teams.”
